Bonn, Germany--Organizations and scientists [1] from around the
world spoke today about their opposition to genetically engineered
trees which will be negotiated at the UN Convention on Biological
Diversity's Ninth Conference of the Parties (CBD COP-9) beginning next
week in Bonn.

They are demanding that governments at the UN agree to accept the
proposal to suspend all releases of genetically engineered (GE) trees
into the environment, due to their extreme ecological and social
threats.

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Camila Moreno, a researcher from Terra de Direitos
in Brazil further explained, "there is a clear link between two of the
major issues to be discussed at this meeting--agrofuels (biofuels) and
GE trees." She added, "A clear sign of this is the ethanol cooperation
agreement being signed by Brazil and Germany.

While German Chancellor Angela Merkel was in Brazil, Brazil's
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva assured her that so-called second
generation biofuels--made from GE trees and other cellulose--would
better suit the German market."

"Genetically Engineered trees threaten to contaminate native forests
around the world with unnatural and destructive traits such as the
ability to kill insects, or have reduced lignin--the substance that
enables a tree to stand up straight and withstand disease," stated Anne
Petermann, Co-Director of Global Justice Ecology Project (the North American Focal Point for Global Forest Coalition) and Co-Coordinator of the STOP GE Trees Campaign.

"Escape of these GE tree traits into forests would devastate
wildlife, biodiversity and forest-dependent communities. It is for this
reason that 137 groups from 34 countries have become members of the
STOP GE Trees Campaign to demand a global ban on genetically engineered
trees," she added.

At the CBD COP-8 in Curitiba, Brazil in 2006, the CBD passed an
historic decision that urged countries to use the precautionary
approach with regard to genetically engineered trees.

This amounts to a de facto moratorium since the precautionary
approach is a direct reference to the precautionary principle,
enshrined in the CBD. Groups are now calling on the CBD to strengthen
this decision into a binding halt to any release of GE trees into the
environment.

"The CBD should take measures to stop the expansion of large-scale
monoculture plantations, and ban both transgenic trees and 'terminator'
technology. This is the request supported by many organizations around
the world as stated in our 'Open letter to the COP', " said Ana
Filippini, of the World Rainforest Movement, one of the organizations promoting this initiative. WRM is the Southern Hub of the STOP GE Trees Campaign.

The Campaign will have a very visible and vocal presence throughout
the COP-9, with numerous events and activities planned throughout the
two-week period.

The STOP GE Trees Campaign will be holding a side event on the
Social and Ecological Impacts of GE Trees at the CBD COP-9 on Tuesday,
20 May from 18:15 to 19:45 in the Salon Haydn of the Maritim Hotel.

To view the complete list of organizations involved in the STOP GE Trees Campaign, go to: